STACK 

ANNEX 


077 
304 


CHINESE  STODENT 
RATION  TO  TOKYO 


ilifornia 

;ional 

ility 


JOflN  R.MOTT 


NAP  SHOWING 

MIGRATION  or 

CHINESE  STUDENTS 

TO  TOKYO 

J907. 


The  Ghlnese  Student 
Migration  to  Tokyo 


BY 

JOHN   R.    MOTT 


FOREIGN    DEPARTMENT.    INTERNATIONAL    COMMITTEE. 

YOUNG  MEN'S  CHRISTIAN  ASSOCIATIONS 

NEW  YORK 

1906 


When  China  is  moved,  it  will  change  the  face 
of  the  globe.  " 

— Napoleon. 


The  Chinese  Student  Migration  to  Tokyo 


THE  most  striking  fact  in  the  student  world  in 
recent  years  has  been  the  migration  of  such 
large  numbers  of  Chinese  students  to  the  capital 
city  of  Japan.  It  was  only  ten  years  ago  that 
two  young  men  went  from  Shanghai  as  the  first 
officially  commissioned  students  of  China  to  study 
in  Japan.  As  recently  as  six  years  ago,  when  I 
was  delivering  a  lecture  in  the  Imperial  Univer- 
sity in  Tokyo,  I  observed  a  few  Chinese  students 
in  the  audience  and  on  inquiring  the  number  of 
Chinese  students  then  in  Japan  was  told  that  it 
probably  did  not  exceed  a  score.  Two  years  later 
the  number  had  grown  to  500 ;  the  next  year  it 
exceeded  2,000.  In  the  following  year  the  Chinese 
students  came  over  to  Japan  at  the  rate  of  about 
500  each  month  so  that  by  the  end  of  that  year, 
1905,  there  were  over  8,000  of  them  in  Japan.  In 
the  autumn  of  1906  the  Japan  Mail  stated  that 
there  were  then  fully  13,000.  Mr.  Brockman,  na- 
tional general  secretary  of  the  Association  move- 
ment of  China,  who  was  in  Japan  at  that  time, 
said  that  every  steamer  coming  from  China 
brought  large  numbers  of  these  students  and  that 


2117442 


The  Chinese   Student 

on  one  vessel  there  were  over  1,000.  Last  spring 
at  the  time  of  the  Conference  of  the  World's  Stu- 
dent Christian  Federation,  there  were  in  Tokyo, 
according  to  the  estimate  of  the  Chinese  Ambas- 
sador, not  less  than  15,000.  Since  then  the  num- 
ber has  decreased,  but  according  to  the  latest 
reports  it  still  exceeds  10,000. 

In  the  history  of  the  world  there  has  been  no 
such  extensive  migration  of  students  from  one 
land  to  another  in  so  short  a  period.  Many 
American  young  men  and  women  have  gone  to 
Europe  to  study  but  probably  at  no  time  has  their 
number  exceeded  3.000.  Each  year  may  be  found 
in  the  universities  of  Great  Britain  and  the  United 
States  a  few  scores  of  students  who  have  come  all 
the  way  from  India.  In  the  Swiss  universities 
are  to  be  found  hundreds  of  students  from  Russia 
and  from  the  countries  of  south-eastern  Europe. 
When  Japan  turned  from  her  Oriental  exclusive- 
ness  to  learn  what  the  Occident  had  to  teach,  she 
had  at  the  most  1,700  of  her  youth  in  American 
colleges  and  a  few  hundreds  in  the  universities 
and  schools  of  Europe.  Even  in  the  Middle  Ages, 
when  great  throngs  of  students  streamed  from 
different  parts  of  Europe  to  sit  at  the  feet  of  such 
intellectual  leaders  as  Abelard,  the  number  coming 


Migration  to    Tokyo 

from  other  lands  never  swelled  to  such  dimensions 
as  those  which  characterize  this  remarkable  exodus 
of  Chinese  students.  Here  we  find  not  several 
hundreds,  but  several  thousands  of  young  men 
who  have  come  out  from  the  proudest  nation,  the 
most  conservative  nation,  the  most  secluded  na- 
tion— aptly  called  the  Walled  Kingdom — to  sit  at 
the  feet  of  their  conqueror  in  order  to  learn  the 
secret  of  her  progress  and  power. 

These  Chinese  students  have  come  from 
every  province  of  China.  As  one  studies  the  ac- 
companying map  of  China  which  shows  the 
sources  from  which  over  10,000  have  come,  he  is 
impressed  with  the  fact  that  over  600  have  gone 
to  Tokyo  from  the  westernmost  province,  Sze- 
chwan,  which  stands  before  the  gates  of  Tibet. 
It  is  said  that  this  involves  a  journey,  which,  in 
point  of  time,  is  more  than  equivalent  to  that 
involved  in  going  around  the  world.  Even  more 
striking  is  the  fact  that  the  largest  number  from 
any  one  province,  1,250,  have  come  from  Hunan, 
which  was  the  last  province  to  admit  mission- 
aries to  residence  and  which  less  than  a  decade 
ago  was  resisting  the  introduction  of  the  tele- 
graph. As  these  students  have  been  drawn 
from   all    parts   of    the    Chinese    Empire,    their 

5 


The  Chinese   Student 

exodus  may  well  be  regarded  as  a  national  move- 
ment. 

In  the  early  stages  of  the  migration  fully 
half  of  the  students  were  sent  to  Japan  by  vari- 
ous provincial  and  local  governments  of  China. 
It  is  said  that  of  those  now  studying  in  Tokyo 
probably  not  more  than  one  third  are  supported 
by  Government  funds.  The  others  have  been 
sent  by  wealthy  families,  by  groups  of  poor 
families,  by  guilds,  and  by  various  other  organ- 
izations and  societies.  The  motives  actuating 
these  young  men  are  various.  Some  have  come 
out  of  mere  curiosity.  Others  have  come  with 
earnest  and  sincere  desire  to  learn  what  Japan 
has  to  teach.  Many  have  been  powerfully  in- 
fluenced by  the  thought  that  study  in  Japan  is  a 
sure  path  to  political  preferment.  It  is  doubtless 
true  that  practically  all  of  these  students  are  more 
or  less  animated  with  the  patriotic  desire  to  pre- 
pare themselves  to  do  something  for  China. 
While  a  certain  number  spend  their  time  in  idling, 
in  political  agitation,  and  in  dissipation,  it  may 
be  said  that,  speaking  generally,  this  great  body 
of  students  is  dominated  by  more  serious  purposes. 
They  have  been  drawn  largely  from  the  highest 
and  best  classes  of  China.  Many  of  them  have 
6 


Chinese  Branch,  Tokyo  "V'oung  Men's  Christian  Association. 


Reading  Room,  Chinese  Branch,  Tokyo. 


Migration   to    Tokyo 

had  good  training  in  the  Chinese  literature  and 
among  them  are  not  a  few  degree  men.  A  census 
taken  under  the  direction  of  the  Chinese  Govern- 
ment showed  that  the  average  age  of  these  stu- 
dents is  twenty-three.  Only  a  few  score  among 
them  are  women  students.  Very  few  come  over 
to  Japan  as  Christians.  While  in  China,  most  of 
them  were  not  only  non-Christian  in  sentiment 
but  also  anti-Christian.  As  a  rule  they  have  cut 
off  their  queues  and  adopted  European  dress. 

Japan  was  not  prepared  for  any  such  inrush 
of  Celestial  Rhodes  scholars  nor  were  the  Chinese 
sufficiently  well  educated  in  Western  learning 
and  methods  to  make  the  best  use  of  the  advan- 
tages afforded  by  the  Japanese  system  of  educa- 
tion. Only  a  comparatively  small  number  have 
been  found  eligible  to  enter  the  higher  Japanese 
institutions  of  learning.  It  became  necessary 
either  to  establish  institutions  expressly  for  the 
Chinese  or  to  add  Chinese  departments  to  existing 
institutions.  Probably  over  one  half  of  all  the 
Chinese  students  in  Tokyo  are  now  attached  to 
less  than  a  dozen  institutions.  The  others  are 
scattered  through  some  forty  other  schools  or  are 
studying  privately.  Just  as  in  the  case  of  the 
Japanese  students,   the  largest  concentration  of 


The  Chinese   Student 

Chinese  students  is  found  in  that  division  of 
Tokyo  known  as  Kanda,  and  two  thirds  of  the 
total  number  of  Chinese  in  Tokyo  are  working  in 
institutions  within  a  circle  the  diameter  of  which 
is  not  over  three  miles. 

Recently,  as  has  been  pointed  out,  there  has 
been  a  decline  in  the  number  of  Chinese  students 
in  Tokyo.  This  is  partly  due  to  the  action  of  the 
Chinese  Government  in  its  efforts  to  eliminate 
the  political  agitators  and  those  who  had  identified 
themselves  with  the  revolutionary  propaganda. 
Another  prominent  cause  has  been  the  attitude  of 
the  Japanese  educators  and  others  in  discourag- 
ing the  coming  or  remaining  of  short-term  stu- 
dents. Many  had  come  over  with  the  thought 
that  within  a  few  months  they  could  acquire  the 
Western  learning  and  prepare  themselves  for 
rapid  advancement.  These  so-called  rapid-finish 
students  are  now  refused  permission  to  flock  to 
Japan,  and  instructions  have  been  sent  to  the 
Chinese  provincial  authorities  to  discourage  their 
coming.  There  is  also  a  growing  feeling  among 
Chinese  teachers  and  leaders  against  their  young 
men  going  to  Japan  save  for  special  and  advanced 
studies.  The  reduction  in  the  number  of  students 
owing  to  these  causes  will  be  recognized  as  a  great 
10 


Migration   to    Tokyo 

advantage.  The  elimination  of  the  undesirable 
elements  has  served  to  magnify  the  opportunity 
presented  by  those  of  more  serious  purpose  who 
remain.  Even  though  the  Chinese  Government 
should  withdrav/  all  the  students  sent  over  at  her 
expense  there  would  still  remain  the  large  ma- 
jority now  in  Tokyo  who  have  come  at  private 
expense.  It  requires  no  prophet  to  see,  now  that 
the  tide  has  set  toward  Tokyo,  that  there  will  be, 
for  years  to  come,  thousands  of  the  most  ambi- 
tious and  capable  Chinese  youth  studying  in  that 
city.  While  increasing  numbers  will  journey  for 
this  purpose  to  Europe  and  America,  much  larger 
numbers  will  continue  to  go  to  this  intellectual 
capital  of  Asia  owing  to  geographical  proximity, 
economic  considerations,  racial  affinity,  linguistic 
advantages,  and  the  great  prominence  of  Japan- 
ese influence  in  China. 

The  moral  and  religious  conditions  surround- 
ing the  Chinese  students  in  Tokyo  are  most 
alarming.  They  are  in  the  midst  of  influences 
tending  to  materialism,  to  extreme  radicalism, 
and  to  gross  immorality.  The  old  anchors  of 
Confucianism  and  Buddhism  have  been  cast  off. 
They  are  removed  from  parental  oversight. 
They  are  free  from  all  their  old  restraints.  Al- 
ii 


The  Chinese   Student 

though  most  of  them  are  married,  their  wives 
have  been  left  behind.  They  are  constantly  ex- 
posed to  obscene  story-tellers,  dancing  girls,  low 
theatres,  and  houses  where  vice  is  cheap  and 
"safe"  and  therefore  doubly  dangerous  and 
deadly.  They  have  come  from  a  country  where 
the  place  of  woman  is  in  seclusion.  They  find 
themselves  in  a  city  where  thousands  of  Japanese 
girl  students  are  allowed  to  run  about  almost  as 
freely  as  boys  and  where  the  attractions  of  im- 
purity are  almost  always  present.  Many  of  their 
boarding  houses  are  little  better  than  houses  of 
ill-repute.  They  are  cut  off  largely  from  the  good 
influences  which  might  come  from  the  Japanese 
because  they  have  little  knowledge  of  the  Japan- 
ese language.  They  are  exposed  to  the  active 
forces  of  agnosticism  and  skepticism.  There  is  a 
general  tendency  to  throw  off  all  religious  re- 
straint. There  is  a  feverish  and  restless  demand 
for  change.  Until  very  recently  Chinese  political 
agitators  have  industriously  tried  to  fill  the  minds 
of  these  students  with  anti-Christian  and  anti- 
foreign  ideas.  It  may  be  questioned  whether 
any  body  of  students  in  the  world  have  been 
thrown  into  a  greater  vortex  of  temptation  or 
been  exposed  to  graver  perils. 


Migration  to    Tokyo 

The  Young  Men's  Christian  Association  move- 
ment of  China  and  Japan  was  the  first  agency  to 
recognize  the  urgent  need  of  putting  forth  special 
efforts  to  help  these  young  men  who  were  thrown 
as  strangers  in  the  midst  of  a  strange  city.  The 
first  thorough  investigation  of  the  situation  was 
made  in  December,  1905,  by  Mr.  D.  Willard  Lyon, 
one  of  the  national  traveling  secretaries  of  the 
Chinese  Associations.  As  a  result  of  his  mas- 
terly report  the  Association  movement  of  China  de- 
cided to  undertake  a  comprehensive  campaign  on 
behalf  of  these  students.  When  their  action  was 
reported  to  the  local  missionary  conference  of 
Shanghai  that  body  passed  the  following  resolu- 
tion: "We  have  learned  with  profound  thank- 
fulness that  the  General  Committee  of  the  Young 
Men's  Christian  Associations  of  China,  Korea, 
and  Hongkong,  on  which  are  representative 
missionaries  from  all  parts  of  China,  has  deter- 
mined upon  such  an  effort.  This  organization 
seems  to  us  a  providential  one  for  undertaking  a 
work  of  this  kind."  During  1906  the  Association 
inaugurated  a  special  campaign  and  sent  over 
from  China  Mr.  Clinton,  one  of  its  most  efl&cient 
secretaries,  to  take  charge.  The  co-operation  of 
a  number  of  the  missionaries  and  Chinese  workers 


The  Chinese   Student 

connected  with  different  missions  in  China  was 
secured  and  the  Association  movement  of  Japan 
did  all  in  its  power  to  assist.  Remarkable  success 
attended  these  efforts.  Two  strong  Associations 
were  built  up  each  with  a  membership  of  over 
500.  Points  of  contact  wnth  the  Chinese  students 
were  established  by  means  of  night  classes, 
courses  of  lectures,  reading  rooms,  special  scien- 
tific demonstrations,  social  functions,  and  many 
other  practical  means  of  helpfulness.  The  con- 
fidence and  sympathy  thus  won  opened  the  doors 
for  the  propagation  of  Christian  truth  through 
apologetic  addresses,  Bible  classes.  Christian 
literature,  and  individual  work  with  individuals. 
From  the  beginning  there  has  been  in  the  path- 
way of  these  unselfish  efforts  an  unbroken  line  of 
genuine  conversions  to  the  Christian  faith. 

The  notable  Conference  of  the  World's  Stu- 
dent Christian  Federation  held  in  Tokyo  last 
April  and  the  accompanying  evangelistic  cam- 
paign afforded  a  rare  opportunity  for  leaders  in 
Christian  work  among  students  of  many  lands  to 
bring  to  bear  the  influence  of  their  Christian 
message  and  personality  upon  these  representa- 
tive young  men  of  China.  Of  3,000  Chinese  stu- 
dents who  heard  their  appeals  during  the  days  of 

14 


Migration   to    Tokyo 

the  Conference,  250  publicly  avowed  their  purpose 
to  become  disciples  of  Jesus  Christ.  A  number 
of  these  have  since  been  baptized  and  many 
others  are  now  receiving  preparatory  instruction 
in  the  Christian  faith.  Owing  to  the  compara- 
tive inaccessibility  of  Government  students  and 
of  the  old  literati  class,  Dr.  Arthur  H.  Smith 
may  not  have  overstated  the  truth  when  he  ex- 
pressed the  conviction  that  the  Young  Men's 
Christian  Association  could  do  more  in  one  year 
in  Tokyo  to  reach  the  future  leaders  of  China 
than  could  be  done  in  China  by  all  the  mission- 
aries in  that  country.  Notwithstanding  all  that 
has  been  said  about  the  awful  temptations  which 
beset  these  young  men  in  a  foreign  capital,  their 
accessibility  and  responsiveness  to  Christian  effort 
constitute  a  ground  for  great  encouragement. 
They  are  detached  from  their  old  conservative 
environment,  restraints  and  prejudices.  They 
are  concentrated  largely  within  a  three-mile 
circle.  They  all  understand  the  Mandarin  dialect. 
Their  many  student  organizations  facilitate  com- 
municating with  them.  Their  isolation  and  lone- 
liness favor  friendly  approach  on  their  behalf. 
Experience  has  shown  that  they  are  remarkably 
open  to  the  offices  of  friendship. 
15 


The  Chinese   Student 

It  is  both  interesting  and  suggestive  to  see 
how  this  practical  ministry  of  helpfulness  is  re- 
garded by  leading  men  both  Christian  and  non- 
Christian.  The  Chinese  Ambassador  to  Japan 
although  not  a  Christian  has  co-operated  in  every 
way  in  his  power  to  further  the  work  of  the 
Association  movement  among  the  Chinese  stu- 
dents. Speaking  at  the  dedication  of  the  building 
of  the  Chinese  Student  Association  he  expressed 
himself  as  follows:  "Recently  China  has  been 
sending  her  young  men  over  to  Japan  by  the 
thousands.  Many  of  them  are  studious  and  have 
great  aims  in  life;  but  some  of  them,  I  am  sorry 
to  say,  are  below  the  standard  and  are  doing 
things  which  cause  people  to  disrespect  them  and 
which  bring  disgrace  upon  the  whole  Chinese 
student  body  in  Tokyo.  Some  of  those  who  are 
deeply  interested  in  China's  welfare  have  seen 
the  necessity  of  doing  something  for  her  young 
men  in  Japan  and  have  asked  me  to  co-operate 
with  them  in  establishing  the  Chinese  Young 
Men's  Christian  Association  in  Tokyo.  I  am 
glad  to  see  the  successful  work  which  you  are 
now  doing.  An  organization  of  young  men  such 
as  yours  has  great  opportunities  and  great  re- 
sponsibilities; and  great  things  are  to  be  accom- 
16 


Migration   to    Tokyo 

plished  by  you  through  education  and  other 
ways." 

Count  Okuma,  one  of  Japan's  leading  Elder 
Statesmen,  who  is  also  president  of  Waseda 
University  in  Tokyo,  thus  comments  upon  this 
work:  "I  am  glad  to  hear  that  the  Chinese 
Young  Men's  Christian  Association  has  been 
organized  in  Tokyo  and  I  wish  to  offer  congratu- 
lations on  the  successful  beginning  of  this  work. 
I  have  great  hope  of  the  Chinese  students. 
When,  after  some  years  of  study  they  return  to 
China  and  take  high  positions,  their  influence 
cannot  be  overestimated.  They  are  to  be  very 
powerful  factors  in  the  New  China." 

Baron  Makino,  the  Imperial  Minister  of 
Education  of  Japan,  in  an  interview  with  the 
Association  secretary  said:  "This  great  and 
unexpected  influx  of  students  has  overtaxed  all 
our  educational  facilities.  It  is  of  course  im- 
possible for  the  Japanese  Government  to  meet 
the  needs  of  this  great  army  of  students.  I  am 
glad  that  the  Chinese  Young  Men's  Christian 
Association  has  undertaken  to  help  these  students. 
I  think  your  work  is  greatly  needed.  Besides 
knowledge  these  men  need  friends  and  need  social 
opportunities  and  moral  restraints." 

19 


The  Chinese   Student 

The  Centenary  Missionary  Conference  of 
China,  attended  by  nearly  a  thousand  mission- 
aries representing  all  the  European  and  American 
societies  working  in  the  Chinese  Empire,  unani- 
mously passed  the  following  resolution :  '  'Where- 
as, the  Young  Men's  Christian  Association  at  the 
request  of  the  Shanghai  Missionary  Association 
has  already  started  a  very  strong  work  among 
the  Chinese  students  in  Tokyo,  who  present  a 
field  of  emergency  and  opportunity,  therefore: 
Resolved,  that  we  recommend  that  a  few  mission- 
aries and  Chinese  workers  should  be  temporarily 
loaned  when  possible  to  the  Young  Men's  Christian 
Association  as  it  may  request  assistance  for  work 
among  the  Chinese  students  in  Tokyo." 

As  a  result  of  this  resolution  the  Association 
movement  is  now  seeking  to  secure  a  staff  of  not 
less  than  twenty  foreign  and  Chinese  workers 
chosen  with  reference  to  their  ability  to  appeal  to 
students,  to  devote  the  coming  months  to  a  con- 
certed effort  on  their  behalf.  Leading  missionary 
societies  of  Europe  and  America  have  indicated 
their  willingness  to  co-operate  under  the  leader- 
ship of  the  Association  movement.  Funds  are 
being  sought  and  offered  to  defray  the  expenses 
of  the  campaign.     The  objects  of  all  this  work 


Migration   to    Tokyo 

are:  first,  to  Christianize  as  many  of  these  young 
men  as  possible;  and  secondly,  to  lead  all  the 
others  to  regard  sympathetically  the  teachings 
and  representatives  of  Christianity. 

It  would  be  difficult  to  overstate  the  far-reach- 
ing importance  of  this  organized  effort  on  behalf 
of  the  students  of  China.  From  their  ranks  are 
to  come  a  disproportionate  share  of  the  leaders  of 
the  New  China.  They  will  furnish  thousands  of 
the  principals  and  teachers  in  the  lower  schools 
which  are  springing  up  all  over  that  Empire,  and 
hundreds  of  the  presidents  and  professors  of  the 
higher  colleges  and  universities.  From  among 
them  will  come  the  leaders  in  the  vast  industrial 
development  of  China.  They  will  furnish  the 
moving  spirits  of  her  new  political  life  and  insti- 
tutions. From  their  ranks  will  come  the  men  who 
are  to  set  the  standards  and  determine  the  atti- 
tude and  influence  of  the  learned  professions  in 
China.  Who  can  measure  what  it  will  mean  to 
transform  these  men  from  enemies  to  friends  and 
propagators  of  the  Christian  faith.  What  will  it 
not  mean  in  the  breaking  down  of  prejudice  and 
the  unlocking  for  the  Christian  propaganda  of 
doors  to  the  influential  classes  of  China.  Few 
people  have  awakened  to  the  fact  that  we  are  to 
21 


The  Chinese   Student 


see  reproduced  on  a  colossal  scale  in  China  during 
the  next  fifteen  years  what  has  actually  taken 
place  in  Japan  during  the  past  thirty  years. 
Never  in  the  history  of  the  human  race  have  such 
vast  multitudes  of  people  undergone  such  stupen- 
dous changes  as  are  now  in  progress  in  China. 
The  present  is  the  time  of  times.  The  place  of 
all  places  to  bring  to  bear  the  influences  of  pure 
Christianity  is  the  capital  city  of  Japan.  Without 
doubt  the  key  to  China  is  in  Tokyo  and  that  key 
is  in  the  hands  of  the  Chinese  students  who  are 
to  furnish  the  leaders  of  that  mighty  nation  of 
four  hundred  millions  of  people. 


Foreign  Mail  Annual 

Issued  March  first  of  each  year,  tells  by  story 
and  illustration  the  progress  being  made  by  the 
North  American  Young  Men's  Christian  Associa- 
tions in  establishing  the  movement  at  the  dom- 
inating centers  of  commerce,  government  and 
education   throughout  the   non-Christian   world. 


Copy  20  cents:  Dozen  $2.00;  Hundred  $10.00. 


Foreign  Department, 

International  Committee  Young  Men's 

Christian  Associations, 

New  York. 


2.3 


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University  of  California 

SOUTHERN  REGIONAL  LIBRARY  FACILITY 

405  Hilgard  Avenue,  Los  Angeles,  CA  90024-1388 

Return  this  material  to  the  library 

from  which  It  was  borrowed. 


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